Hause Takes Place Among County’s Best

The son of a 1965 graduate of Point Loma High, Brendan Hause grew up listening to his father’s tales of fellow local high school baseball stars Bob Boone, Brent Strom and Dave Duncan.

“My dad played against all those guys,” Hause said of his father, Mira Mesa High pitching coach, Pat Hause. “He’s told me all about them. Boone beat him in the finals one year (1964). Strom beat him in the semifinals the year after that.”

Should Brendan one day have children, fireside chats with their grandpa will also include stories about Dad.

For like Boone, Strom and Duncan, each of whom went on to play in the major leagues, Brendan Hause has been named the Hall of Champions’ San Diego Section player of the year for the 1992 season.

“It’s an honor,” said Hause, a four-year starter who led Mira Mesa to its third consecutive 3-A title earlier this month by pitching the Marauders to an 8-2 victory over Bonita Vista. “I know I’ve entered into some great company. Bob Boone, Brent Strom, Terry Forster and more recently Jim Tatum, Phil Plantier, Rob Ippolito, (Mike) Bovee, Benji Gil--all those guys were great players.”

Hause, too, though he would not admit it, belongs in that group.

This year alone, he was 13-1 as a pitcher with a 0.85 earned run average and struck out a county-leading 130 batters. Among his victories was a perfect game against Point Loma and a one-hitter against Patrick Henry.

As a junior, he was 7-1 with a 0.68 ERA and had a three-hitter against Granite Hills in the 3-A semifinals.

And despite those lofty numbers, the Oakland Athletics drafted Hause as a first baseman, not a pitcher, and he signed with them Friday.

Not a bad move by the A’s, considering Hause batted .405 with four home runs and 16 RBIs this season, and .333 with three homers and 17 RBIs last year when he was an All-Section second-team selection.

The offensive numbers would have been better, but Mira Mesa Coach Mike Prosser has a policy of not letting his starting pitchers hit during the regular season.

“He thinks pitchers concentrate more when all they have to do is pitch,” Hause said. “And it’s been working for him so why should he change? He’s won three straight championships. It’s hard to argue with that.”

It’s also hard to argue with the selection of Hause as player of the year. In him, Prosser had one of the most focused competitors in the county.

“His major attribute is his work habit,” Prosser said earlier this year. “He just keeps working. He wants to be a better player. He’s never missed a practice. In fact, he’s never missed a day of school I can remember. He’s competitive, and he’s competitive within himself. On the other hand, he’s a team player. He wants the Marauders to do well. He doesn’t have to be the hero.”

More often than not, though, he is.

Other All-Section first-team members include:

Manny Castillo, pitcher, Mission Bay, Sr.--Castillo, 5-feet-6 and 135 pounds, capped a brilliant career at Mission Bay by yielding only two hits in two playoff games. The two hits came in a 6-0 victory over St. Augustine in the 2-A final at Jack Murphy Stadium, and they followed a no-hitter in a 10-0 victory over Santana in the quarterfinals. The ace of a staff that tossed four shutouts in as many playoff games, Castillo was 10-4 this year with a 1.46 ERA and 79 strikeouts.

Matt LaChappa, pitcher, El Capitan, Jr.--If you faced LaChappa and somehow managed to escape being one of his 107 strikeout victims, chances are he nailed you on the base paths. Possessor of one of the finest moves to first in the county, the left-handed LaChappa picked off 24 runners. Those abilities enabled him to finish 10-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 81 innings, eight complete games and one save.

Matt Stone, pitcher, Vista, Jr.--Stone’s pitching statistics--12-1 record, 0.61 ERA, four shutouts, 96 strikeouts in 81 innings--rival those of Hause and warranted Stone some consideration in player of the year voting. Stone, who is 6-5 and 220 pounds, is one of five underclassmen on this year’s team.

Kiko Palacios, catcher, Castle Park, Sr.--The only repeat selection from a year ago, Palacios hit .469 and six home runs and drove in 27 runs, an improvement from last year’s numbers--.472, three and 25. Palacios, Castle Park’s only senior, also threw out 18 of 27 would-be base stealers and picked off another 16.

J.J. Ibarra, infielder, Mission Bay, Sr.--Ibarra didn’t make this list because of his .351 batting average, nor the fact he scored 40 runs, drove in 19, stole 21 bases in 21 attempts and led the Bucs to the 2-A title. Those figures only solidified his selection, which was based primarily on his defensive prowess.

Aaron Rounsifer, infielder, Vista, Sr.--Drafted in the 11th round and signed by the Boston Red Sox, Rounsifer was the key offensive performer for Vista, which won the Palomar League championship and finished 21-5-1 after being eliminated by Mar Vista in the quarterfinals. Rounsifer’s numbers included a .422 batting average, six homers and 34 RBIs.

Rob Reid, infielder, Valhalla, Sr.--A complete player, Reid led the Grossmont Conference in batting for the second year in a row and his .490 average was the highest of any 2-A or 3-A player in the county. Of his 44 hits, he had 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs. He also scored 23 runs, knocked in 24 and stole 20 bases.

Memo Lopez, infielder, St. Augustine, Jr.--As a shortstop and short reliever, Lopez led the Saints to their first title game in section history. He also led the county in two major categories--38 RBIs and 10 saves. Other key statistics included a .427 batting average, a 1.39 ERA and a 7-0 record.

Oscar Robles, infielder, Montgomery, Soph.--The lone sophomore on this year’s team, Robles was another highly effective two-way performer. He hit .462, scored 36 runs, drove in 16, stole 19 bases and was 7-3 with a sub-2.00 ERA as the Aztecs’ ace pitcher. Also, in nearly 100 at-bats, Robles struck out only four times.

Jason Eskridge, outfielder, Grossmont, Sr.--Grossmont, which did not win a championship for the first time since 1989, was ranked No. 1 for much of the season and one big reason was Eskridge. Offensively, he hit .371 with four homers, 30 runs, 16 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he tossed a no-hitter and finished with an 8-2 record and 1.80 ERA.

Mike Frank, outfielder, Escondido, Jr.--One of the most feared hitters in the county, Frank did not see many pitches in the strike zone this year. Still, he hit .390 and three homers, knocked in 20 runs and led the Cougars to the Avocado League title. As a pitcher, Frank was 5-1.

Chris Richard, outfielder, USDHS, Sr.--A catalyst as well as an RBI guy, Richard scored 35 runs and drove in 19 more by hitting .438 with three home runs. Offensive capabilities notwithstanding, Richard’s range in the outfield also made him popular among the Dons’ pitchers.

Jorge Millan, utility, Bonita Vista, Sr.--The consummate utility player, Millan played mostly third and second base for the Barons and was also used as a starting pitcher and reliever. His .400 batting average, 25 RBIs and 9-1 pitching record led Bonita Vista, which advanced to the 3-A title game.

All-Section Baseball Team

Pos. Name School Yr. Key Statistics P Brendan Hause Mira Mesa Sr. 13-1, 0.85 ERA P Manny Castillo Mission Bay Sr. 10-4, 1.46 ERA P Matt LaChappa El Capitan Jr. 10-3, 2.47 ERA P Matt Stone Vista Jr. 12-1, 0.61 ERA Inf. J.J. Ibarra Mission Bay Sr. .351 BA, 40 runs, 19 RBI Inf. Aaron Rounsifer Vista Sr. .422 BA, 6 HR, 34 RBI Inf. Rob Reid Valhalla Sr. .490 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI Inf. Memo Lopez St. Augustine Jr. .427 BA, 38 RBI Inf. Oscar Robles Montgomery So. .462 BA, 36 runs, 16 RBI C Kiko Palacios Castle Park Sr. .469 BA, 6 HR, 27 RBI OF Jason Eskridge Grossmont Sr. .371 BA, 4 HR, 16 RBI OF Mike Frank Escondido Jr. .390 BA, 3 HR, 20 RBI OF Chris Richard USDHS Sr. .438 BA, 3 HR, 19 RBI Util. Jorge Millan Bonita Vista Sr. .400 BA, 25 RBI

Second Team--Pitchers Bobby Rector (Mar Vista) and Randy Robinson (Bonita Vista); catcher Travis Wilson (Rancho Buena Vista); infielders Dwain Bostic (Morse), Bobby Miller (Helix), Ryan Gallego (San Marcos) and Hector Concepcion (Marian); outfielders Brian Wilson (Mira Mesa), Danny Gil (Mission Bay) and Mike Smith (Helix); and utility players Mario Sanchez (Helix), Ricky Quinones (Mar Vista), Eduardo Duarte (Montgomery) and Steve Pack (Fallbrook).